Manufacture and production of silica glass.



H. A. KENT.

MANUFACTURE AND PRODUCTION OF SILICA GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1910.

1,003,271 Patented sept. 12,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR H. A. KENT.

MANUFACTURE AND PRODUCTION OF SILICA GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1910.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

3 SHEETB-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES At-rorneqs H.A.KENT.

MANUFACTURE AND PRODUCTION OF SILICA GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1910.

1,003,271. Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

3 SHEBTS-SHEET 3.

V NESSES INVENTOI? @M HENRY ANDREW KENT .21,- fl? 5 ATTbfneqs UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ANDREW KENT, OF BOUNDS GREEN, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE SILICA SYNDICATE LIMITED, 01 LONDON, ENGLAND.

MANUFACTURE AND PRODUCTION OF SILICA GLASS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 12, 1911. v

. Application filed August 13, 1910. Serial No. 577,042.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ANDREW KENT, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, of The Poplars, Maidstone Road, Bounds Green, in the county of Middle'sex, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture and Production of Silica- Glass, of which the following is a specification. p

The object of this invention is to produce silica-glass (fused quartz) in an economical and eflicient manner and so that it can be obtained in as pure and transparent a condition as may be desired.

Accordin to this invention silica, in the condition 0 powder, grains, or particles, is caused to fall, or be projected through a heated zone (so that each grain, or particle, falls, or is projected separately and subjected to an equal degree of heat all around) and onto a heated body in such a manner as to form at one operation a homogeneous mass of silica-glass upon the said body; for example, a rod, tube, or article under formation, and made of silica-glass, (which in the following description I will, for brevity, refer to as the heated body) is maintained in a plastic condition by heat applied electrically in a furnace made of silica, or other suitable refractory material through a heated zone of this furnace, and onto this heated body, silica, in the condition of owder, grains, or particles, (which I will re er to as particles) 'is caused to fall, or be projected, in such manner that the particles separately pass through the heated zone and adhere to whatever portions of the heated body are to receive them so that a homogeneous mass of silica-glass isformed, or built up, upon the said heated body, and this mass can be blown, or molded, or drawn, or otherwise treated by any means usual, or suit-able, in the manufacture of glass so as to produce the required silica-glass article. The heated body may, during the deposition of the particles, be rotated, or reciprocated, or have any motion, or motions, given to it as may be necessary to properly distribute the silicaglass thereover as it is formed. The particles of silica may be supplied to the furnace in any suitable Way; for instance, through tubes and feeders provided specially for the purpose, or through an electrode, or electrodes, perforated for the purpose, or by any other suitable means so that the particles fall, or are projected separately through the heated zone. When sufiicient slllca-glass has been formed upon the said heated body by the fusion of the silica particles, the homogeneous silica-glam thus produced at one operation can, as aforesaid, be blown, molded, drawn, or otherwise manipulated as may be required. The same method of manufacture can also be employed with other suitable means of applying sufficient heat for the fusion of the silica; for example, a blow-pipe flame can be used as the source of'heat.

The accompanying drawings illustrate sections of forms of apparatus suitable for carrying out this invention, but I do not limit myself to the use of these particular forms of apparatus.

\ Figure 1 shows an arrangement wherein the silica particles are caused to fall as aforesaid onto the heated body, in the presence of an electric arc. Fig. 2 shows a modification wherein the silica particles are caused to pass through one of the electrodes and thence as aforesaid onto the heated body. Fig. 3 shows an arrangement wherein the heat is applied by a blow-pipe.

In all the figures like parts are marked with the same reference numerals.

Referrin first to Fig. 1, the furnace 1 is provided with electrodes 2, carried by holders 3, capable of being moved along ideways 4, on the bed-plate 5. In the urnace 1, is an opening through which to introduce the heated body 6, of silica-glass upon which the particles of silica, to form a homogeneous mass of further silica-glass,

vare received. The particles of silica are contained in' a receptacle 7, and pass into a tube 8, provided with a worm 9, rotatable in any suitable way, (such as by a wormwheel 10, and worm 11,) so that the particles are propelled along the tube 8, and delivered into the furnace in a separated condition so as to be heated equally all around and fall upon the heated body 6.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 2 is generally similar to that shown in Fig. 1, except that the silica particles are delivered through a tube 18, and an axial perforation 14, in one of the electrodes. The said particles may be similarly delivered through both electrodes if desired,

Fig. 3 shows a similar arrangement for delivering the particles of silica, but the heat issupplied by a blow-pipe 15, in the presif? said dy and the action of heat, a homogeneous mass of silica-glass, substantially as hereinbefore ence of the heat of which, the particles fall, or are projected separately, upon, the heated body 6, which can as in the other cases, be rotated, and moved longitudinally.

What I claim is- 1. The manufacture of silica glass b causing grains or particles of silica to fal or be projected separately through a heated zone and onto a movable heate body in a chamber said particles being subjected to a tem rature'suflicient to sinter them by this sing e operation into a homogeneous mass of silica-glass, substantially as hereinbefore explained.

-2. The manufacture of silica-glass b causing grains 0r particles of silica to fa or be projected separately u n a movable body in a chamber, said b y being maintained in a plastic condition by heat so that the particles will adhere to the orm at one operation, under explained.

3. The process of manufacturing silicaglass which consists in assing scattered particles of silica throug a heated zone onto a movable heated receiving body in a chamber, said particles bein subjected to a temperature sufiicient to smt'er them by this single operation into a homogeneous fused silica mass adapted to be at once manig ilillated into desired shape.

4. e process of manufacturing silicaglass whic comprises passing particles of silica through a heated zone in scattered relation to each other so that each particle is heated from all sides during its passa e through said zone, said particles being irected onto a movable heated receiving body, said particles being sub'ected to a tem erature sufiicient to sinter t em by this sing e operation into a homogeneous mass of silica lass. v

5. T e rocess of manufacturing silicaglass whic comprises asslng a stream of scattered particles of s 1ca through a heated zone onto a heated receivin body and maintaining the latter in plastlc condition by the continued application of heat thereto during the deposit of the silica particles thereon, whereby a homo neous fused silica mass is formed ready to at once manipulated into desired shape.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

NRY ANDREW KENT.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM GERALD REYNOLDS, HERBERT D. J AMESON. 

